The California towhee (Melozone crissalis) is a bird of the family Passerellidae, native to the coastal regions of western Oregon and California in the United States
Appearance
The California towhee's coloring is dull brown overall with light rust undertail covert feathers and buff or rust-colored streaks at the throat. There is little sexual dimorphism.
California towhees have the short, rounded wings of a sparrow, as well as a long tail and a thick beak which is used for cracking seeds. However, the towhees are larger and bulkier than sparrows. Both sexes of towhee generally grow to be in length, with a wingspan of about . They weigh . The California towhee's color pattern is matte brown all around, barring a rusty patch beneath its tail and around its bill. This is true of both females and males.
It is around in length, and has a noticeably long tail of . Its appearance suggests a large, plain sparrow. Males weigh from , with an average of , while females weigh from , with an average of . Among standard measurements, the wing chord is , the bill is and the tarsus is . The California towhee is a non-migratory bird and they only change their homes when finding a mate.
As these birds are of Least Concern in their natural habitats, they do not face any imminent threats to their livelihood. According to the National Audubon Society, the three biggest threats to the California towhee are fire weather, spring heat waves, and urbanization. Fire weather may affect this towhee because they tend to hide in shrubbery. If these birds are found in a very densely forested area during a wildfire, they would definitely be under threat, but due to their reproductive patterns, their general population would remain largely unaffected. Spring heat waves affect populations by increasing the temperature, decreasing the supply of water and other resources, and can affect food chains. This would affect the California towhee, but once again, not enough for the entire population to move into the Not Threatened bracket. Urbanization may seem like the greatest threat to all species, however, this bird species has adapted well to living among and near people.
Behavior and ecology
The California towhee feeds on the ground or in low scrub where it prefers a variety of seeds, grasses, and herbs. When eating grass seeds, towhees can strip all seeds off at once using its beak. During breeding season, the California towhee supplements its diet with insects such as grasshoppers and beetles. Additionally, they may eat snails, millipedes, and spiders. It is most often seen traveling or feeding singly or in pairs. It is very active on the ground. The California towhee uses a "double-scratch" maneuver when foraging, looking beneath leaves by lunging forward and hopping backwards, using its feet to scratch the ground and reveal food. Additionally, it visits feeders, often eating the millet that other birds disdain. Able to run rapidly for short distances, it keeps in constant contact with its mate—perhaps forming lifelong pairs.
Nesting
Nests are typically found in low branches or shrubs about above ground. The nest is a bulky cup made of twigs, stems, grasses, and hair, and is constructed by female towhees.
The female incubates the nest of 2 to 4 eggs alone for 11–14 days. Eggs are laid from March through September with shells that are slightly glossy and pale bluish white with some brownish flecks concentrated mostly on the larger end. At the time of hatching, the young have sparse down feathers. Young leave the nest after 6–11 days.
The California towhee breeding season lasts from early April to early August, peaking in late May or early June. Towhees may raise 2–3 broods each year.
Because the California towhee is generally known to be a less threatened bird, these Inyo California towhees were not receiving the conservation efforts to be able to sustainably recover their populations and recover lost habitats. If trends had continued, they might have required to have been repopulated by local wildlife sources, however, in 2001 the Bureau of Land Management enacted a reform to reduce mining, livestock agriculture, and general habitat displacement practices which has helped aid this subspecies to over 700 living birds today.
Relationship with humans
California towhees have adapted to human presence in California. As suburbs and cities were developed in the state, towhees have moved into parks in lowland towns, as well as backyards with appropriate shrubbery. Consequently, they are found eating garden produce, such as apricots, plums, and peas.